Top Link Bar

Cigarette Restitution Fund

Cancer Prevention, Education, Screening and Treatment Program

Local Public Health Component

The Cancer Prevention, Education, Screening, and Treatment Program (CPEST) provides and administers grants to local health departments and academic centers to reduce cancer mortality and cancer disparities in Maryland.

Purpose

The Maryland Cigarette Restitution Fund (CRF) was established in 2000 by the Maryland General Assembly (SB896/HB4125) to reduce the cancer incidence and mortality in Maryland. The legislation required the establishment of a local public health component to coordinate efforts in each jurisdiction. The local public health component of the CRF is the Cancer Prevention, Education, Screening, and Treatment Program (CPEST).

The purpose of the CPEST Program is to reduce cancer mortality in Maryland and to reduce disparities in cancer outcomes among whites and ethnic minorities. There are seven targeted cancers identified as priorities under the Maryland Cigarette Restitution Fund Program (CRFP). CRFP funds may be used to provide prevention, early detection, and/or treatment services for the targeted cancers. The seven-targeted cancers are lung and bronchus, colorectal, breast, cervical, prostate, skin (melanoma), and oral cancers.

Status

Beginning in 2001 to 2013, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has provided grant funding, based on the formula in the law, to each of the 23 local health departments and Johns Hopkins Institutions and the University of Maryland Medical Group for cancer prevention, education, screening, and treatment. In 2011, each of the 24 local health departments and the University of Maryland Medical Group received grant funding for cancer control.

Of the 24 local health departments, 23 have chosen to focus on colorectal cancer using predominantly colonoscopy as their screening procedure. Several of the grantees have selected to also screen other targeted cancers, such as breast, cervical, oral, prostate or skin cancers. The University of Maryland Medical Group provides breast and cervical cancer screening services. Eligibility for colorectal cancer screening is usually restricted to the following requirements:

Ages 50-64

Uninsured or underinsured

Below 250% of the Federal Poverty Limit

County, City, or Maryland Residence

Payment for other cancer screening test(s) or for treatment may be covered in some programs if an individual meets eligibility requirements. All services are subject to the availability of funds

During fiscal year 2013 (July 1, 2012- June 30, 2013), the funds for each local health department ranged from $135,459 to $1,223,000, depending on the incidence and mortality of the targeted cancers within each jurisdiction.

Accomplishments

The following information is based on activities that occurred since the inception of the program through June 2013: